Packages of the single-use disposable type, for example those which are produced from a continuous material web of a laminate with paper or paperboard and various layers of thermoplastic are, once they have been filled with their intended contents, to be transported further on a conveyor. From the filling machine, one or more conveyors are disposed to convey the packages further, possibly to additional machines for providing the packages with drinking straws, for packing them in multipacks or the like. When the individual packages are on their way to such a distribution machine, it may happen that they topple over, in particular if the package is tall, with a relatively slight bottom surface area. When they reach the distribution machine, toppled packages lying on the conveyor are a source of disruption to its operation, and occasion stoppage of infeed into the machine. In addition to the machine stoppage, a toppled package may jam so that damage occurs both to the toppled package itself and to packages following behind.
Toppled packages lying on the conveyor must thus be raised to the upright position or be removed from the conveyor. The commonest method of remedying the problem of packages lying down on a conveyor is to remove them from the conveyor. In such instance, there are both mechanical and electronic package traps. The mechanical traps function in that the lower support rail is removed along a certain section of the conveyor so that the passing packages on this section of the conveyor are forced out towards the support rail. The packages lying down which then have no support from the upper support rail fall out from the path of the conveyor. These mechanical package traps can, however, cause narrow and tall packages to turn about standing up on the conveyor and then instead give rise to another problem.
The electronic package traps normally consist of two pairs of photocells which are coupled in such that differences in the signals of the two pairs indicate a package lying down. A sound or light signal is emitted, whereupon the package lying down may be manually righted or removed from the conveyor. These electronic package traps are controlled from the distribution machine to which the package is being conveyed. Alternatively, they are controlled from the filling machine from which the package departs. Since the distance between these machines may be large, this involves long cable-laying. In addition, there must be room in the control system of the machine with available cable outputs. If there is not enough room, an additional control module is necessary and this involves higher costs.